


Sybel & Tam

by Sybel Sayrah (rocknlobster)



Category: The Forgotten Beasts of Eld - Patricia A. McKillip
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-04-16
Updated: 2006-04-16
Packaged: 2018-05-16 00:15:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5805805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rocknlobster/pseuds/Sybel%20Sayrah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A vignette with Sybel and Tam, guest-starring Cyrin with some new riddles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sybel & Tam

The boy stood beside the freshly turned earth, inhaling the rich scent of it. Then he opened his eyes and gazed at the small stone set down on the low mound of dirt before him. 'Nyr,' it read.

_Nyr, father of Nor, father of Nyl,_ the boy thought to himself. _Oh Nyl, I'm so sorry about your grandfather…._ He bowed his head, closing his eyes once more against that which he could not escape.

 

_Sybel,_ the voice insinuated itself into her innermost circle. She sat up straighter, opening her eyes. "Sybel," Tamlorn said again.

"What is it, my Tam?" Sybel inquired in a voice not entirely awake from her searching. Tam stood beside her in the dome of crystal, gazing out at the blushing sky.

"It is sunset," he replied irrelevantly.

"Yes," Sybel said quietly. "What troubles you?"

"Nyl's grandfather…died today. We buried him, Nyl, his father, and I."

"What troubles you?" Sybel said again, slightly more probing in tone.

"Sybel…" Tam paused, gathering his thoughts. She let him think as the red of the sky grew darker, from blush to blood. "Sybel, what is death?" Tam finally asked, still standing above her.

Sybel reached up to him and he sat down at last, settling in her lap.

"You know what death is," she replied, holding Tam loosely in her arms.

"Yes…but…why?" Tam asked.

She held him a little away from her, the better to see him. She gazed into his eyes. A voice musical as a bell tinkled behind them both. "The witch Glower once offered Cor the Incompetent the gift of immortality as a boon. Cor eagerly agreed. Until he discovered that it meant living forever, at which point he graciously declined."

"Cyrin," Sybel said, acknowledging the boar. "He is too young, I think, to know the answers."

The Boar replied, "The first King of Fyrbolg took his son out hunting with him although he was not yet of age. The Queen was furious, but the King replied, 'He found a flock of wild geese just by looking.' "

Tam smiled, and stood again, facing Cyrin and Sybel. "He means that youth sees things age misses, Sybel," he laughed, and ran back outside to find Nyl.

Sybel sighed. Cyrin snorted. _The Queen, nevertheless, refused to permit her son to hunt again until he was of age;_ he finished the riddle.

_I cannot control all Tam's experiences so,_ Sybel spoke to the Boar's mind.

_Once, a prince of Eld wandered into Mirkon forest. There he met the witch Glower, digging. When asked what she was digging up, she replied, 'Roots of plants so rare they are found only here in this one forest clearing.' The prince pondered this, and said, 'But then, does digging them up not completely destroy them?' Glower looked up, and said, 'Only if you take them all.' "_

"I know," Sybel said out loud. _I know…_


End file.
